FBI agents dismayed and ’embarrassed’ by bureau’s handling of New Orleans terror attack

FBI agents say the bureau’s initial response to the New Year’s Eve terrorist massacre in New Orleans’ French Quarter was disastrous and another reason the Senate can’t move fast enough to confirm the president’s pick elected Donald Trump to lead the agency.

According to several agents, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the FBI failed to execute a comprehensive counterterrorism plan when Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar of Texas, an Army veteran, rammed a pickup truck with a flag of ISIS attacks New Year’s revelers, killing 14 and injuring dozens.

They said the top FBI official at the scene broke with bureau decorum and inexplicably said the attack was not terrorism and that the bureau failed to follow basic procedures during of the investigation.

Agents wondered why Lyonel Myrthil, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s New Orleans office, did not appear to be on duty when the attack occurred, despite what should have been a heightened alert for big New Year celebrations and the college football championship. , the Sugar Bowl, scheduled for the city’s Superdome on New Year’s Day.

Agents blamed a lack of leadership from outgoing FBI Director Christopher Wray and Deputy Director Paul Abbate.

Mr Abbate is set to become acting director after Mr Wray’s resignation, something he said he would do before Mr Trump’s inauguration on January 20.

“They have to go now, not only Wray, but Abbate has to go. It’s horrible. It’s embarrassing. Kash Patel is the person to have there,” one agent said, referring to Mr. Trump’s nominee for FBI director. “He has to come right now, right away, because these people have to leave. »

The FBI’s New Orleans office sent Assistant Special Agent in Charge Alethea Duncan, who wore khakis, a blue polo shirt and a nose ring, to the first news conference after the attack.

She immediately contradicted New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell, who said at the press conference that her city was “hit by a terrorist attack.”

Ms. Duncan stepped forward after the city’s police chief spoke and said, “This is not a terrorist event.” What’s happening now is that improvised explosive devices have been found, and we are working to confirm whether or not that is viable.

Hours later, the FBI said the attack was being investigated as a terrorist incident.

Rank-and-file FBI agents were surprised by Ms. Duncan’s presentation and comments.

“The new leadership of the FBI needs to impose basic rules of decorum because the bureau needs to be like the ‘Men in Black,’ that they are all uniform and transparent,” an FBI agent said.

He said the public should “see the office, not someone with a nose ring.” Who the hell would go on TV with a nose ring,” another agent said. “Who could say it’s not a terrorist event when there’s an ISIS flag flying on the back of a truck? They call it a clue.

“You have two major events going on: the Sugar Bowl and New Year’s Eve, and the SAC is out of town. That’s why she’s there,” another FBI agent said. “There are two major (events) happening here, and they haven’t left anyone in charge.”

Another official said it was not surprising that Ms. Duncan did not initially label the New Orleans incident as terrorism because it did not fit the current definition of terrorism given by US leadership. FBI.

“It’s not terrorism unless they’re wearing a MAGA hat.” For three years, all the new agents, that’s all they know. He’s going after the right or Trump supporters,” the agent said. “It’s endemic to headquarters. That’s all they know.

The agent added: “This is what happens when you only do January 6 cases. »

Other agents were perplexed as to why Jabbar’s residence was left open to the public, including reporters from the New York Post and ABC News 13, after the FBI had already searched his residence.

The FBI and Harris County Sheriff’s Office searched his home Wednesday. The agents arrived around 3 p.m. and the FBI said they left at 7:50 a.m. Thursday.

Law enforcement officials reportedly discovered chemical precursors that could be used in explosives.

ABC News 13 reported Thursday that the front door of her mobile home was left open and the frame was barely connected to the structure.

“You can’t search a house and leave it open. It must be secured to protect things from third parties. They didn’t,” one of the FBI agents said.

“They went and did a search warrant, they left the inventory, and then it appears they let the reporter in, but what appears to be is that the FBI did not secure the residence after the search warrant, as they are supposed to do,” he said. “They failed to fulfill the basic elements of a search warrant.”

The Washington Times has contacted FBI headquarters for comment.